1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements to an apparatus for supplying fuel which is contained in a fuel tank, such as supplying fuel to an engine of an automobile.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally speaking, a fuel supplying apparatus is installed in the fuel tank of a vehicle, which supplies the fuel in the fuel tank to the engine through a fuel supplying line. The fuel supplying apparatus has a mounting bracket which is mounted on the fuel tank, and a fuel pump which is mounted on the mounting bracket and installed in the fuel tank. A connector pipe which is mounted on the mounting bracket for connecting the fuel pump to the outside of the fuel tank, and an electrical connector is mounted on the mounting bracket for connecting the fuel pump to a source of power outside of the fuel tank.
When the fuel supplying apparatus is made, the first step is to prepare the connector pipe and the electrical connector. Then, when the mounting bracket is molded, the connector pipe and the electrical connector are fitted into a die as mold inserts, and then the bracket is molded from a resin in an injection molding step. Therefore, the mounting bracket, the connector pipe, and the electrical connector are formed in one piece, and the fuel supplying apparatus is made by mounting the fuel pump on the mounting bracket.
In the above-mentioned the fuel supplying apparatus, since the connector pipe and the electrical connector are fitted into the die as mold inserts, the direction and/or measurements of the connector pipe, the direction of the electrical connector, and the number of poles of the terminal must be changed according to each vehicle having a different fuel line, a different wiring layout and/or a different dimension. As a result, the costly die must be prepared corresponding to each vehicle, which results in a high cost of manufacturing.
Also, there are different types of fuel supplying apparatus, e.g., a full return type which can circulate the fuel between the fuel tank and the engine, and a non-return type which can supply the fuel into the engine in only one direction. Therefore, since the non-return type does not need a return fuel line, as does the full return type, a return connector pipe must be removed, and a return fuel path must be covered with a closure. Thus a special die is needed for each of the full return type or the non-return type, which also causes a high cost of manufacturing.